Announcements

Sunday, 16 July 2017

MONTJANE COMPLETES HAT-TRICK OF SWISS OPEN TITLES

South African women's leading wheelchair tennis ace Kgothatso Montjane put up a sizzling performance enroute to claiming her third Swiss Open title after beating Germany's Katharina Kruger in the women's final in Geneva, Switzerland on Saturday.

Montjane, the world number 8 who had clinched the title in 2013 and 2015 eased past world number 9 Kruger in a stunning 6-2 6-3 victory to record her third singles title of 2017.

Montjane's victory extended her lead in the head-to-head series against the German 12-5 including a straight set victory earlier this year in the final of the Busan Open in Korea Republic.

Following her victory, the 31-year old from Limpopo said, she was very pleased with her performance but was all praise for the support from her family and friends.

"I'm so excited about my performance," she said. "This is magical. It was everything coming together like magic, the whole week was fantastic and hoping to do better for the rest of my upcoming tournaments in Europe.

"Just last week I won the Joburg Open and here today I have another Swiss Open title in the bag, it always feels great to finish a winner," commented Montjane. My hard work on court and the great support from my family and friends helps me every day to keep pushing".

Montjane and partner Macarena Cabrillana from Chile lost their doubles final to Charlotte Famin from France and Dutchwoman Michaela Spaanstra 4-6 2-6.

In the men’s tournament, South African world number 12 Evans Maripa impressed when he edged out former world number 9 Dutchman Tom Egberink 6-3 3-6 7-6(4) in the quarter-final but the strong-hitting 26-year-old went down to Takashi Sanada from Japan in a hard fought 6-7(5) 3-6.

Both Montjane and Maripa will move to Berlin in Germany for the German Open, an International Tennis Federation (ITF) level 2 tournament starting from 19 - 23 July.